Arizona State Head Coach Kenny Dillingham
On if he would change his late game decisions after re-watching film:
“(On) fourth downs definitely not. 100% would do that 10 out of 10 times in those games. Obviously, they didn’t work, so that's not ideal. If I could go back knowing they wouldn't work, I would definitely change my mind. But not knowing if they would work or not, just 100% go for it. I mean the end of the game was not good at all. I gotta do a way better job with the team at the end of the game. That was obviously not good. Probably the worst case scenario. Not ideal.”
On how to learn from late game management:
“Obviously it worked horribly. I probably would have tried to score and taken the risk of fumbling over taking what we did. Now, if it's a one point lead, we have to do what we did and that's where we got to get better. I gotta coach that scenario better. I think that's the biggest takeaway is I didn't do a good enough job throughout the week and I haven't been doing a good enough job throughout the week of those scenarios at the end of the game. Even the Hail Mary, we just didn't do a good enough job with it. So I think for me when you look at both sides of the ball, (they) didn't do a good enough job in the end of the game scenario. That's a reflection of me not getting those reps in practice. Whether it's in walkthrough mode, whether it's in full speed mode enough to be able to execute because we're going to need both those situations eventually to win a football game. So we gotta do better. It's literally on me. I have had it on the sheet since Thursday. We should do a walkthrough, a situational walkthrough and I cut that before the season and I had it as my plan of what I want to do after some off-season studies with coaches and I took that out to cut time. Now looking back, it’s a horrible decision to cut that out and it almost came back to bite us. So I gotta do a better job. We're going to start adding that to walk-throughs on Thursdays.”
On if team would’ve hypothetically executed the initial plan successfully:
“I don't like blaming. I mean, yes, if our plays are executed perfectly, they better work every time. Whether it's first and 10 or second and 10, I think the great challenge in coaching is knowing what your strengths and weaknesses are. I think the problem for me is knowing that I didn't invest a lot of time into that scenario and then putting our guys in a position to go run a scenario that we didn't invest a lot of time in, instead of just turning around and handing it to Skatt (Cam Skattebo) like that was very stupid. I think that the frustrating part is if we would have had more time on task and that situational football that we do practice, but not the amount of time we should have, I don't think we'd be having this conversation. But it's my job as a head coach to know what is best for our football team and what was best for our football team was to not do what I did.”
On message to team ahead of territorial cup:
“It's about us going, playing and preparing like we do. Like I've said to the team since week three: every game you win, it makes the next game the most important game and the more times you win the next game is more important. It doesn't matter who you play, it doesn't matter where you play. It’s like it's the most important game because you won the last one. If you go and win, then the next game is more important than the game you just played. This is the most important game on our schedule because we’ve put ourselves in position for it to matter. Not just from a rivalry perspective, but from a bigger perspective of achieving other aspirations.. I definitely feel like educating people in this transfer portal age on the significance of this game. It's something that we're going to do. We’re going to bring in — we don't know what former player yet. I know we've already asked one guy, hopefully he says yes, and I want to say his name because I don't want to call him out if he says no. But if he says yes to come and talk to our guys about it and about just the history of the game so our guys can be educated on it. And then one thing that we're going to start doing is we're going to start doing educational sessions in the off-season about this rivalry. Instead of having to do it the week of the game and distracting the guys from the real thing - which is just go play smart, tough, take care of the football and worry about the team.. So I think that's where I'm going to grow next year is to really educate these guys in the rivalry when they get into the program, almost like a tutorial on why this game matters, but not do it the week of the game, do it leading up in the off-season.”
On late-game miscommunication between Sam Leavitt and Cam Skattebo:
“For us, we were in a huddle for three minutes there, two minutes there..We're going to call this, or we're going to call that or we’re going to call this or we're going to call that. So I think I kind of confused our guys.. to be brutally honest, I confused our guys a little bit in that scenario and when you don't have everybody doing the same thing, not everyone's on the same page. When not everybody's on the same page, I think that's a reflection of coaching. Like it's our job to make sure people execute. So, we didn't execute it poorly, but like I said, we should never not execute a play poorly coming off the sidelines. I got to do a better job. We got to do a better job coming off the sideline making sure we're on the same page. I mean, it's fourth and one we can't not be on the same page and that starts and ends with me.”
On struggling to close teams out:
“I brought that up with the team today because I think we play with a chip on our shoulder. We play really hard and I think sometimes when we think we're ready to knock somebody out, they hit us back. But, we thought it was just going to continue to go this unbelievable way and then they get us against the ropes and we struggled to kind of bounce back. Now at the end of the day, credit to our guys. They found ways to win the games. But we've had two opportunities in two straight weeks with three possession leads to go up four possessions with the ball in the middle of the third quarter. We fumbled one, we dropped a ball on another and we’re just that close. And then we've given up two 90 plus yard drives in the second half in quick amounts of time. I think for us, we’ve got to find a way, similar to winning on the road, now how to find a way to put a team away? We didn't put Mississippi State away when we could have, we've had opportunities to put teams away and we're just trying to find out how to do that. I know it's kind of weird because we're winning some games, but we're still in year two. There's still a lot of things that we're learning how to do. We're learning how to win on the road, which we did. We still haven't learned how to close out, we don't really step on an opponent when we have some momentum in the second half. We've learned how to win at the end of games. We've learned how to fight back if we get punched in the face early. But we haven't learned how to fight back if we get punched in the face after we've had success. So I think we're still learning how to do that. I don't know a better way to do it, we just need to do it. Because if we do it, our guys will have that confidence like, ‘Oh, this is what it looks like.’ But that's three games this year out of 11 where we had an ability to come out and be like, ‘Boom!’ And we haven’t… But, we’ve just got to be able to finish in those scenarios because I will say this: I'm not a fan of teams that just sling the ball around with three possession leads. I think you lose way more games than you win and even though our games have been ugly at the end, we still won those games.”
On educating his players in the offseason on the rivalry with Arizona:
“I think, obviously we’re in the same state, so that's a rivalry. That's the first step. Not every rivalry is interstate. A lot of their alumni live with our alumni within the same community. So now, not only is it state boundaries, it's almost like brother-sister because you all live together. Everybody lives in the same valley together. And you're like, ‘Oh, where did you go to school?’ One of those two options is probably the answer. So I would say it's very deep because of how closely connected the two schools are with their fan bases… like, it's close, and then we got our butt kicked last year. We got embarrassed. So it's a game that matters and we got embarrassed. So, you better have a little bit about yourself when someone embarrasses you like that. And they’ve got the same quarterback returning, the same wide receiver, they’ve got a lot of the same players returning on that football team that picked us apart.”
On the rivalry with Arizona:
"Obviously, I grew up going to these games. My family grew up going to the rivalry games. Regardless of where I coached throughout the country, I would try to watch this game. If I couldn't watch all of them, I would try to watch this game, try to record this game. If you're from Arizona, it’s like, “When's the Territorial Cup?” That's a big deal. From that perspective it matters because it's something that's been a part of Thanksgiving. I think of Thanksgiving. That's been part of it to me my entire life."
On the outside noise and believing in the rankings:
"I think we'll find out. You're only as good as your next game, it’s as simple as that. You have to continue to prove to people constantly that you're deserving of something. Do I think that the body of work that we put together is worthy of it? Yes. Do I think the body of work is worthy of it if we lose a game? No. Can you get blinded by all that? No. Somebody asked me today, one of our players, “What does it take for us to get into the Big12 Title game?” I still don't know. I really don't. I know this, I know we don't get in if we lose. I know that. I’m 100% sure we don't get in if we lose. So who cares? Focus on the main thing, which is us getting better over and over again. Kind of a scapegoat answer, but that's literally all I care about. Being the best version of us today."
On biggest changes since the season’s start:
"Confidence. I think our guys believed in themselves, but it was “I think we can win. I think we can win. We’re working hard”. Now it’s, "we can win”. I think that mindset is great confidence. When bad things happen, two games in a row, we’ve picked the ball off to win the game. We've gone down the field on offense to score to win a game. Our team is just playing really good, complementary football. That gives confidence to both sides, offense, defense, special teams. It's taking all three phases right now for us to be where we're at. I think that gives everybody confidence in one another. So I'd say confidence "
On the secondary:
"I think our disguises have gotten better throughout the season. The more and more they’ve played together, and the more comfort in the scheme. Javan (Robinson) is in year one in the scheme, even though he played for Coach (Brian) Ward at Washington State. There's a little bit of carry over, but I think the consistency in the scheme and then the comfort to be able to disguise things a little bit better. One of those (interceptions) was a tip ball. We talked on Monday that we were going to get a tip ball interception this week. That's one of our turnovers we haven't gotten, we got a bunch of these in spring ball. We need to match the hand of the quarterback and get a tip ball interception for us to get that early in the game. Anytime something you talk about happens, it just gives great comfort. Like, “Oh, we talked about that and we're going to get one”. I think that calms guys down and I think a great play by Prince (Dorbah) batting it down. Matched the hand of the quarterback, great play by (Jordan) Crook. So the back end is just getting more comfortable."
On preparation for Territorial Cup:
"T-mac (Tetairoa McMillan). I think he's still number one in the country in receiving yards. I'm not positive. Credit to you T-Mac, you're number one in the country in receiving yards and people are still saying you don't look the same. I don't know if that's possible. That's an incredible compliment to be honest to T-Mac. He is the best in the country in yardage and people are still doubting him. I’m like, “Golly, this dude's unbelievable, he is incredible”. They (Noah Fifita and McMillan) have a remarkable connection that goes back to high school. They still have that ability and it still flashes. They still score points in bunches when they get momentum. They're still extremely dangerous as a football team and I think those two (Fifita and McMillan) do have something special. I think in some games, teams have bracketed them and said, “Ok, we're not going to let you (T-Mac) beat us” and it's really hard to beat one person in college football. It's even harder to beat two. T-Mac still does that at times, which is what makes him a special player. They're a dynamic duo."
On Fifita and McMillan staying at Arizona:
"I think you gotta give both of those kids mentioned a lot of credit. They had some changes in their program and those guys said they that they wanted to stay true, they wanted to stay committed, they wanted to be a part of something. For both of those guys to do that in this day and age, it is special and that's something that the program should really get behind and rally behind. Especially in today's era. There's no doubt in my mind that those who are going to finish the season and that those who are going to play as hard as they can because they have passion for their program. They had a lot of opportunities this off season and they said, No, this is where they want to be and you have to respect that. You have to respect two kids that know what they want at their age and that are going to finish through with it. That's the challenge this week. It’s a rivalry game. I think the last time Arizona State was undefeated at home was 2004. They were the 17th ranked team in the country and they traveled to Arizona and they lost. It’s a rivalry game. Anything happens in a rivalry game."
On the possibility of beating Arizona but not making the Big 12 championship game:
“Honestly, I haven't even thought about it. I'm a positive thinker. If you ask that question to my wife, she could probably give you a good answer. She always thinks about what's the worst thing that can happen. I always think about what's the best thing that can happen. That's why we've been together since we were 17 and since high school. We're perfect for each other. I don't think about the negative. What's the best possible outcome? That's what's going to happen, and if it doesn't happen, now what's the best possible outcome? I just think like that over and over again, and it's contagious.”
On quarterback Trenton Bourguet’s role as a leader:
“Obviously, Trenton's a great leader, voted on the leadership council again. He was a captain for the game last week, and we made him a captain just because of what he's done for this program. I think it was important for people to see him step out on that field on senior night and go be a part of the coin toss for what he's done for the program and what he's done for the community. I just think that entire family is all in ASU and all in Sun Devils. They've got great passion, great confidence and a great voice for the program. I think Trenton is going to be a phenomenal coach in the next chapter of his life. He already is. He's been on the seven-on-seven circuit, dicing people up left and right. When we have our games out there where we have our younger guy scrimmage, he calls the plays for us. So we're already getting him involved. I'm just blessed to have him part of the program.”
On what’s changed as the team has gotten better on the road as the season has progressed:
“I don't know. I think maybe we're more comfortable on the road. I think our guys have gotten used to it, and they realize it's still football. I give them an elite pep talk, I think that's really what it comes down to. My pep talk pregame is just so good. I don't even talk to the guys when Saturday hits. My last time I actually talked to the team together was Friday night. I don't talk to the team all together at all on Saturday, so I really don't know what it is. Those guys are just growing together, coming together and trying to achieve something special and it's a credit to them.”
On the impact of wide receiver Xavier Guillory and Javan Robinson:
“I’m so happy for Guillory, he's just battled. He's battled injuries and he battled hamstrings last year. For him to make that play on senior day to swing the momentum back to our side was huge. Then for Javan, same deal. He's battled an injury the last few weeks, and for him to come back and make that play at the end was remarkable.”
On what makes BYU a great program:
“Their head coach is an incredible human being. He is the definition of what college coaching is about. The way that their quarterback sprinted down the field, no quit. The way they fought for him the entire game and fought for that program. That's an unbelievable program and that's an unbelievable culture. You could tell how good that culture was by how close that game was. That's a phenomenal team that I hope we don't have to see again because they're a really good football team led by an incredible person. They have the heart of a champion. I have nothing but respect for BYU and that program.”
On what Melquan Stovall has brought to the team:
“Consistency, he is consistent. I don't know if I've ever seen him not be the exact same person every single day. Every day, you know what you're going to get from Stovall. It's simple, consistency wins and he's very consistent.”
On the impact of the administration:
“I want to give President Crow, Dr. Rund and Graham Rossini a shout out…Credit to them for changing the model of how they wanted to get athletics accomplished here. We’re able to get our coordinators locked up and have other position coaches locked up. We’re working on getting our other position coaches locked up currently. Having the foresight to have the direction to want to make those changes, get things done and get them done swiftly and smoothly is a credit to all three of those guys. In the new model, all three of those guys are involved in that. I'm going to sit up here and people are going to say, ‘yay the football coach.’ I'm just the middle man between those three, the players and the coaches. Those three are supporting at the level that they're supporting right now and backing the program at the level that they're backing it to hopefully keep our staff and keep our players consistent. I think that's a special combination right now and I think as long as we stay the course, I think that's going to be a special combination for the future.”